You’re visiting or move to a new city and need a new hair or nail salon or risk starting Hair-mageddon or Nail-pocalyse. You get a suggestion from someone and try it out only to end up in a horror story. How many times has this happened to you?
Being a semi-retired cosmetologist, this rarely has happened to me. But earlier this month I failed to follow my own rules for picking a good salon and ending up paying the price in more ways than one. So as a reminder to self and to help the loyal ECV Talks readers, this week’s beauty tip consists of those rules. Continue reading Weekly Beauty Tip #7 – Picking a Good Salon→
Score silky-smooth legs and sandalworthy toes with these vitamin-packed scrubs that buff off dead skin with natural exfoliants.
Clove Almond Foot Scrub
Mix 2 cups of Epsom salt, ½ cup almond or vegetable oil and 1 tbsp of ground cloves together in a foot tub or a large bowl. Rub the mixture over your feet for 5 minutes (paying extra attention to rough spots), then rinse with warm water. [Courtesy of Jennifer Jaqua]
Super Salt Blaster
Mix 1 cup of salt and 1 cup of olive oil together in a bowl. Rub on legs to exfoliate; rinse. Mash together 1 avocado, 1 cup of mayonnaise, 1 banana and 1 tsp of olive oil in a bowl and microwave for 10 seconds. Smooth the mixture on your legs and wrap a towel around them for 10 minutes. Then wipe off with a damp cloth. [Courtesy of Lenny LaCour, director, Spa de LaCour at the Bannockbum Club in Illinois]
Ladies, we love our humps & lovely lady lumps (like Fergie) but hate clumps on our lashes. So here’s how you apply mascara without clumps with a regular round mascara bottle.
Step one: Twist the wand as you pull it out. If there is still too much product on the wand, wipe it on a paper towel. It’s important that you use a low lint paper towel and not facial tissue which depending on quality can leave lint on your mascara brush.
Step two: Wiggle the wand at the base of your lashes. Then sweep it straight up while slightly spinning the wand.
Let the coat dry completely before applying a second coat or you will get clumps and probably pull out some lashes.
Another option is to try Mega Effects by Avon which has been featured in InStyle, Vogue, Allure and Fitness magazines. Check out the buzz here! This mascara promises no clumps and Ms. ME demos it in the video below. At a regular price of $10, this is our C2 option*. You can even get one now for only $7.99 at Ms. ME’s Avon store.
Our E option is Lancôme Definicils high definition mascara at $27.50. While we haven’t used this mascara before Lancôme is a brand we’ve used and trust.
The V option is the ever dependable “maybe she’s born with it, maybe it’s” Maybelline Great Lash Mascara which was my go to during my cash-strapped teen years with a regular price of $7.
Bonus tip: When applying mascara, hold a tissue under lashes so that makeup doesn’t end up on the skin.
* The link for C2 takes you to a previous post where the E, C2 and V options are defined. Also no compensation was received for mentioning Lancôme or Maybelline. Avon is a brand we retail at ECV.
Ever wonder how to apply your blush so you won’t look like a clown or worse, like some one hit you in the face. Here are some tips to help!
On a Round face: Place blush from the center of your cheek out along the ridge of your cheekbone, blending upward towards your temples. Dot some on your chin too.
On a Square face: Use minimal blush placed on the lower apple of your cheek. Don’t sweep it upwards or to side.
On a Narrow face: Blush goes at the outer point of your cheekbone. Don’t sweep it upwards; keep it horizontal.
Bonus Tip:
In a rush (like I was when I originally posted this blog) and can’t find your blush? Blend a bit of moisturizer with a little lipstick and use it as a cream blush.
Who doesn’t want picture perfect lips ladies? Here are three simple steps to get the perfect pout.
Draw the line.
Define the shape of your mouth using a lip liner. If your lips are naturally full, there really is no need to line outside the natural edge of your lip. Choose a shade that complements your favorite lipstick. Now color in your lips with the liner to get color that really clings. For my ladies with two-tone lips, feel free to go lighter with the liner application on the darker lip or skip it all together.
Choose the right color and formula.
Matte lipsticks give off intense color, but can be drying. Crème lipsticks deliver great color and keep lips moisturized. Whatever formula you choose, make sure to evenly apply the color, covering the liner and blotting any excess. We’ve found paper towels work well here as opposed to facial tissue which, depending on the brand can leave lint.
Set the look.Finish off with a little dusting of translucent powder and a second coat of lipstick or a coat of lip gloss. Or start off by using a transfer-resistant lipstick to help color stay put and perfect for hours.
Now if you’re looking for the picture perfect full pout watch the video below. There are a couple of extra steps but it’s still really simple and easy to do. The hardest part might be picking out a shade. Check back each week for a new beauty tip.
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